"Damn it!"
Mandy swore loudly under her breath as she gazed at the smashed number plate from her windshield and realizing that the vehicles were no longer moving, it dawned on her that she had been stuck in traffic.
"You little brat, look what you've made me do!" she yelled onto the screen, her face distorting with anger.
"You better begin to pray now that whatever the trick I play on this unknown person, it works. Otherwise, we're both getting punished for this. Now hang up,"
She enunciated through clenched teeth, and right after she completed her words, she caught sight of the young man who came down from the black SUV in front of her.
The annoyed and dark expression on this man's face couldn't go unnoticed by Mandy and the more he got closer to her car, the more she shrank inside like a wilted flower.
"Lord, I'm so dead," she mumbled in a crying tone, watching as the man knock hardly on her window.
Suddenly, an idea niggled at her and she quickly got into action.
She ruffled her honey brown hair with immediate effect and eventually unlocked the car door.
After that, she rested her back against the seat and then began to pant heavily.
"Oh, finally. Now you better come out and clear the mess you just created. I mean how dare you? Are you blind?" this man ranted.
It occurred that this man standing at her car door was far more angry to notice what was going on with her.
"If you are not going to come out obediently, then I'll be forced to drag you out myself,"
The hair on the back of her neck rose at the tone of his voice and she almost shudder.
However, she managed to look at his side and then raised her hand to grip a handful of his trouser.
Her gesture propelled this man to lower his head closer to have a peek and to his awe, it was a lady.
It never crossed his mind that the driver could be a woman.
"Help me," Mandy mumbled under struggled breath and this man became completely powerless as his eyes slowly changed from anger to calm.
He gulped and then reached over to sweep away her hair from her face.
He looked at her perspiring forehead and concluded in his mind that he had to help this person.
"Hmm...hospital. Let's go to the hospital," he let out and reached out a hand to hold Mandy; however, Mandy shook her head bit by bit while she squint an eye to look at this man.
No, please. Just take me to...my...house,"
This man was taken aback by her response, "What do you mean your house, Miss? You are not feeling well and you need to go to the hospital,"
Mandy managed to sit upright and spoke slowly, "I'll just take my medications at home. So kindly bring me to my house,"
By the time she finished her words, the annoying honk of the truck behind her car drew their attention.
"I'll be right back," the young man notified and then scampered toward his car. He bent and picked up his cellphone and wallet and then locked the car.
He rushed back to Mandy's car and held out his hand to her. "Can you manage?" he asked carefully.
Mandy nodded twice and slide off the seat.
Honk! Honk!
This unknown man raised his hand toward the impatient truck driver and shouted, "Just hold on a sec!"
Right then, Mandy had got in the passenger's seat and he watched as the man also hopped into the driver's seat.
He ignited the engine and sped into the expressway, "So, where's your residence?" he quizzed without sparing her a look.
However, he got no response to his question so he tilted his head to look at her, only to catch her staring at him.
Smiling awkwardly and looking away to conceal her embarrassed attitude just now. She rubbed her forehead, "Hmmm ..."
"12, Columbus Avenue Hudson street,"
The young man nodded in acknowledgment, "Got it,
In a matter of moments, the car rolled to a stop in front of a white magnificent building.
The young man stole a glance at this beautiful house and then returned his attention to Mandy's face, "Do you want to phone anybody?" he asked.
"Thank you for everything, sir but I can take care from here," Mandy said with a deep sense of gratitude.
After saying that, she pushed the passenger door and came down from the car.
The man grabbed her bag and cellphone before stepping out of the car. He locked the car afterward and then gave her, including the car immobilizer.
Mandy shot him a small smile then and turned to walk away. He watched her amble to the gigantic security gate that slide open in the presence of her.
When there was no longer sight of her, he drew in two deep breaths and ruffled his hair swiftly with a bright smile gracing his handsome face.
He was damn glad he could save someone today. *
Daniella erupted in a burst of wide laughter after listening to Mandy's story from yesterday.
They were both sitting on a backless wooden bench in the school garden with one or two people passing by occasionally.
"Come on, stop laughing. Remember I was forced to put on such act because of you," Mandy said with an eye roll while crossing her legs.
Daniella then stuck a knuckle in her mouth, trying hard to control her laughter.
"But when did you become like this, Mandy?" she stared at her friend with amused eyes. "I would never have thought of such an escape route, you know,"
"And that's because you know how to deal with trouble, Ella, especially when it's coming from men," Mandy contended and Daniella just twitched her mouth without pressing any further.
After a lingering silence, "So," Mandy turned properly on the bench to face Daniella.
Daniella's eyebrows wrinkled.
"Don't give me that look, Ella, and tell me something already," Mandy half-yelled.
Daniella shut her eyes and sighed softly, "I already told you, Mandy. What else do you want me to say?"
Her good mood was now long gone and it could be effortlessly detected on her face.
"The truth, Ella. I want you to tell me the truth. I know you are hiding something from me, so spit it now," Mandy demanded with a gleam flashing across her sharp eyes.
"No matter how hard I tried to think about it, believe me, it doesn't make sense in any way. Accepting to become Matthew's girlfriend out of the blue? What could have suddenly prompted you to?"
Daniella groaned and buried her head into her palms but lifted it almost immediately and looked at Mandy's angry face.
"It's not a big deal, Mandy. I just decided to give him a chance to prove himself and that's all. No more, no less," she said persuasively with a big mess inside her heart.
She was not swallowing a happy pill right now as she felt she was an awful friend. Mandy literally shared everything with her, confined in her, and never hide anything from her.
Well, she also didn't keep things from Mandy.
However, the only thing she had been hiding from her was this lustfulness toward her father that she had been harboring since she was a kid.
Who lusts after their father?
Daniella had never heard of such in her whole life and she didn't think it was rational for her to seek advice from her friend about such a thing.
She would continue to bury it deep in her heart and maybe sooner, she would find a place for Matthew in her heart and reciprocate his love.
Taking two deep breaths to rein in her anger and calm herself down, Mandy stared at Daniella and asked in a small voice, "Are you sure?"
"Matthew has been nothing but good to you since I've known him. Please don't break him,"
Hot tears pooled into her eyes in an instant but quickly turned her face away so that she wouldn't have to look at Mandy.
"Seriously, Mandy?" she silently wiped her tears before returning her attention to Mandy's face.
"You care more about Matthew than me? Your only friend?" Daniella tried to lighten the suffocating atmosphere as she wouldn't like to talk more on this topic.
Mandy recognized her trick at her a glance, so she only glare at her playfully.
"You're not going to talk, huh?" Daniella bantered and then reached out to pull her exposed ear.
"Let go of me, you brat," Mandy laughed quietly and elbowed her and they both broke out in a peal of contagious laughter.
"Hey, Mandy,"
Both Daniella and Mandy looked up to see a girl of their age. Golden locks and small face. Her black dress stopped right on her knees.
A bright smile covered Mandy's lips upon recognizing this girl, "What's up, Lilly?"
"I'm good, babe. There's a frat party in my heart tonight, so I'm inviting you to my house,"
At this moment, the flames in Daniella's eyes were almost sprayed out, burning Lilly into ashes.